Gardening with Allergies

Right now, my eyes are on fire … but I’m used to it.  Like many people I suffer from seasonal allergies.  This might come as a surprise considering you see me in videos each week working in the garden or out in the greenhouse.  Part of having allergies is learning to live with them.

Medication is Important

All those gardening sniffles happen because your body overreacts to pollen, releasing special chemicals, histamines, to fight it off. That leads to your allergy symptoms.

The fix is simple.  Today, there is a plethora of over-the-counter medications for seasonal allergies. For gardeners who have a tough time with pollen, try a nasal steroid spray to reduce inflammation and that runny nose. You should start the spray a week or two before pollen season starts.  For the itchy eyes, there are great eye drops available to stop the itch.

Choose Wisely

All gardeners look for an excuse to try new plants. But because of your allergies, you have a built-in reason to switch out those flower beds. Think about planting flowers and trees that are insect-pollinated, rather than wind-pollinated. Wind-pollinated plants make tons of pollen. The breeze, bees and other insects, and birds carry it around your yard. Most insect-pollinated plants are colorful, while wind-pollinated plants are their drab cousins. It is unlikely that you will completely eliminate sources of pollen in your yard, especially if your neighbors have pollen-producing plants, but eliminating sources of pollen close by can help reduce the overall pollen density around you.

Many of the plants we grow at Bob’s are insect pollinated or, in some cases, bred to produce very little pollen.  Personally, I am allergic specifically to grass pollen.  I can walk around in the greenhouse all day with no symptoms at all, while a quick trip outside at home can trigger a sneezing fit.

Timing Is Everything

It is a good idea to check daily pollen counts, which you can usually find on popular weather apps. (I’m personally a fan of Accuweather.) However, pollen counts change throughout the day, too. Pollen counts can be highest in the morning and late evening. Late morning, afternoon, or early evening are the best times to do serious yard work.  However, it can be a trade off because that can be the hottest part of the day during the summer.

Many other things can affect pollen counts. For example, if the grass is damp, pollen counts could be higher later in the morning after the water evaporates. A rainy day is good if pollen bothers you, since much of the pollen will be washed away. But be careful of gardening on hot, breezy days when pollen counts tend to be highest.

Dress for Pollen Success

Your gardening attire can go a long way in helping you beat off sniffles. You don’t have to buy anything special or expensive, but you should dress to protect yourself. So when you’re ready to go dig in the dirt, consider wearing long sleeves and long pants, gloves, a hat to help keep pollen out of your hair, and sunglasses to help keep pollen out of your eyes.

Masks aren’t just for Covid, so consider a mask, which you can pick up at a local store, or even a bandana placed over your nose and mouth. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends wearing a face mask that has received an N-95 when you garden.

Once you are done digging, weeding, and planting, leave your gardening shoes outside and get your clothes and gloves into the laundry. Then it is time for you to take a shower and wash your hair to remove as much pollen as possible. It may seem like a lot of extra effort, but it’s worth it.

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan

I find that some planning is also important with allergies.  If I need to mow the lawn and also do some flowerbed or garden work, I’ll wait to mow the lawn last.  I know it kicks up the most pollen, and I’ll likely need a day to recover.  This time of year, I like to imagine a clock counting down the moment I step outside.  At T-0, I’m not going to have a good time, so it is a game of beat the clock. Get ready to suit up, set your timer, and venture out to tackle your gardening projects.